Modern computer networks generally consist of a large number of network devices interconnected by various physical means, including copper wires, fiber optic cables, and wireless technologies. To facilitate routing of information across such networks, routers or other data switching devices are used to ensure that data is accurately and efficiently passed through the network to its final destination. In general, routers and similar types of devices are configured to include a large number of physical interfaces, thereby enabling a single device to route or pass through a very large quantity of data.
In conventional networks, each interface included on a network device is typically assigned a unique network address, thereby ensuring that data or traffic may be uniquely forwarded to an appropriate interface. Unfortunately, the primary network addressing scheme in use today, IPv4, is limited in the number of unique network addresses available for assignment. Further, difficulties in deploying network devices on a network are compounded by the number of unique addresses that must be assigned to enable use of the device.
To remedy these issues, it has been proposed to eliminate addressing for each unique interface on a network device. It has been found that in normal operation, because the data being routed through the network typically is not destined for the routing network device itself, that unique addresses may not be required. Unfortunately, such an unnumbered scheme assumes that the underlying routing protocols running on the network devices remain in operation. Because unique interfaces are not addressed, if an underlying protocol were to fail (along with its associated routing tables or instructions), there may be no way to access the network device from another device on the network by using those interface addresses. In a numbered environment, other network devices may remotely administrate the failed network device by designating the interface address by which it is connected.
Therefore, there is a need for an unnumbered address system that more robustly supports remote access and administration of network devices.